Buses from [[Chernivtsi]], [[Lviv]] or [[Kiev]] take 1.5, 5 and 6 hours, respectively. The buses from Kiev cost around 85 UAH but can faster marshrutkas (minibuses) can be 100 UAH from Vokzal (the railway station) in [[Kiev]]. The buses from [[Chernivtsi]] are not as frequent as Lonely Planet may lead you to believe.

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Buses from [[Chernivtsi]], [[Vinnitsa]], [[Lviv]] or [[Kiev]] take 1.5, 4, 5 and 6 hours, respectively. The buses from Kiev cost around 85 UAH but can faster marshrutkas (minibuses) can be 100 UAH from Vokzal (the railway station) in [[Kiev]]. The buses from [[Chernivtsi]] are not as frequent as Lonely Planet may lead you to believe. The buses from [[Vinnitsa]] are rare but exist.

If you plan to go to the spectacularly located castle in Khotyn on your way to or from KP and [[Chernivtsi]], you can visit it in route as it sits almost exactly on the route between the two cities.

If you plan to go to the spectacularly located castle in Khotyn on your way to or from KP and [[Chernivtsi]], you can visit it in route as it sits almost exactly on the route between the two cities.

Revision as of 14:50, 8 August 2012

Contents

Understand

This is one of the earliest towns in Ukraine, first mentioned around 1060 as a Slavic town controlled by Lithuanians, but evidence suggests that the Dacians and later the Trypillians had lived there in prehistorical times. The town is a natural crossroad for trans-Carpathian and trans-Ukrainian trade, which attracted Germans, Armenians, Lithuanians, Jews, Ukrainians, Russians and Romanians to live here until World War II. Now, the town is almost exclusively Ukrainian.

A large fortress was built here to watch over the River Smotrych and some evidence suggests that a fortress has existed on this natural outcropping of rock since 2 millennia ago.

Get in

Buses from Chernivtsi, Vinnitsa, Lviv or Kiev take 1.5, 4, 5 and 6 hours, respectively. The buses from Kiev cost around 85 UAH but can faster marshrutkas (minibuses) can be 100 UAH from Vokzal (the railway station) in Kiev. The buses from Chernivtsi are not as frequent as Lonely Planet may lead you to believe. The buses from Vinnitsa are rare but exist.

If you plan to go to the spectacularly located castle in Khotyn on your way to or from KP and Chernivtsi, you can visit it in route as it sits almost exactly on the route between the two cities.

There is train service to Kiev via Khmelnitsky taking 6 hours, but arriving/leaving at awkward times. A better option is the night train, which takes 12 hours.

See

The ancient fortress (Stara Fortetsya) is the major attraction of this town.

Stay

Hotel 7 Days[1] - close to the central square, high standard, single rooms from 260 UAH.

Hotel Texas - near the bus station.

Skovorode - not close to tourist attractions.

Stone Flower - near the fortress.

TIU KP - centrally located.

Karmaliuk - Close to the bus station and not far from the train station.

Fil'varky-Tsentr - not far from the fortress, close to bus station, in the uptown. Price: from 190 UAH per double/twin room, breakfast included.

Drink

Kava u politsmeystera (Coffee from a Policeman) - not far from the fortress, nice design. Waiters speak English. You have to take the menu from and order on the bar, the order will be brought to your table. "Coffee Ice Cream" is worth trying. Although the name suggests that coffee is the main drink here, you can have a good dinner as well. Prices: dinner for 2 persons ~180 UAH.